Blind Leading the Blind
by Girl in a White Dress
Summary: A collection of miscellaneous drabbles in response to challenges posted on LJ xfdrabble community.
1. AU

Disclaimer: Not my characters.  
Spoilers: All Things, Memento Mori, anything to do with Luke.  
Summary: Four what-could-have-been's. Completely unrelated to each other, except in a weird, Twilight Zone-ish kind of way.  
A/N: For the LJ xfdrabble challenge 30. Alternative Universe.

* * *

_Dana_

The kids are always up at the crack of dawn. Jessica chattering at the top of her lungs, Mikey chasing the puppy around the house. Dana can't quite remember her life before this, can't help thinking that although this is supposedly the American Dream (2.5 kids – check; white picket fence – check; dog – check) something feels wrong.

Isn't this what she wanted?

She loves her children. She loves Daniel, she thinks. She even loves her job, sort of. As much as she can love dispensing aspirin to geriatrics.

But sometimes she looks up at the stars and wonders what she's missing.

* * *

_Mulder_

There are so many things he left unsaid, so many things he wished he'd had the chance to share with her. He should have known they didn't have forever. He hadn't wanted to face the truth; ironic, really, considering the driving force of his life is the search for truth.

All he can do is hold her hand and breathe with her as the monitors track her heartbeat.

Then he kisses her forehead, hugs her mother and finds the nearest bar. When he realizes that alcohol can't hide the pain forever, he goes home, showers, and goes to her funeral.

* * *

_John_

"Luke?"

The yard is empty but for the bicycle lying carelessly on its side.

"Luke?"

He knows never to run off, John thanks, starting to panic. He's been told a thousand times never to talk to strangers.

But where is he?

Cases immediately spring to mind: children lured away by pedophiles, killed by madmen, sold into child prostitution.

No, John thinks. Not Luke. Not my son.

But he knows that's exactly what happened: someone convinced his sweet, innocent, trusting boy to go with them.

And then Luke comes running up, a scruffy dog in his arms"Can we keep him?"

* * *

_Monica_

In New York on a case, Barbara is the last person she expected to see. More surprising is that although her connection to Luke can only be painful for the other woman, there's no hostility.

Barbara invites her over for dinner ("To thank you for everything you did," she says), Monica brings a bottle of wine.

In the morning, she wakes up spooned behind Barbara, her face nestled in blonde hair, her arm draped over Barbara's waist. Though she's not quite sure how this happened, she has no regrets.

If there's one thing she's learned, it's that life's too short.


	2. moods

Rating: PG  
Disclaimer: Not my characters.  
For challenge #32 _mood images_.

* * *

_Drunk!Mulder_

He blinks to clear his vision; pleased to find there are still two Agent Scully's standing in front of him. How did he get this lucky?

The twin Scully's are wearing identical expressions: raised eyebrows, mouths pursed in annoyance, heads tilted slightly to the left.

Hmm, maybe two of Scully is a bad thing.

"Come on, Mulder, let's go."

He grins. _Yes, let's go back to the motel room, Scully and Scully._

Only one problem. "I can't."

"Why not?"

"I can't feel my legs."

The Scully's step closer. "Mulder, are you drunk?"

Before he can deny it, everything goes black.

* * *

_Gloomy!Scully_

My life sucks.

Here I am, a woman in my prime, and just look at me. I'm depressingly single, the last pet I had was eaten by an alligator, and my closest friend is a paranoid believer in the paranormal.

What makes it even more pathetic is that I think I may be in love with the aforementioned friend. Who, of course, has no romantic thoughts about me whatsoever.

So I think it bears repeating: My life sucks.

Reason enough to deviate from my healthy eating plan. If I don't have chocolate ice cream _now_, I might just shoot something.

* * *

_Grumpy!Kersh_

His forehead creased as he read the latest report he'd received. Those two agents would be the death of him, he thought tiredly. Never mind that the X-Files were officially closed, Agents Mulder and Scully still managed to get tangled up in the paranormal.

Kersh's frown deepened. This was not what he'd had in mind when he'd promoted to Deputy Director. His life was supposed to be easier now, not more complicated.

He sighed. Only Mulder and Scully would turn a routine background check into an honest-to-goodness X-File.

Damn, but he hated those two agents.

Now, where was his aspirin?

* * *

_Lonely!Monica_

Taller and skinnier than the rest of the girls in her class, Monica has few friends. Her unconventional beauty sets her even further apart, as does her interest in things other than fashion and boys.

She lies and says she likes being different. She pretends it doesn't hurt when her classmates call her a stupid American. She refuses to cry.

By the time she graduates, she has perfected the art of being aloof and detached.

Years later, she ends up in New York. Still beautiful. Still untouchable.

She doesn't understand why she cares so much about Luke Doggett.

Or his father.

* * *

_Numb!Doggett_

It isn't real, he keeps telling himself. Any minute now, Luke's going to come down the stairs and ask for breakfast. Barbara will smile (the way she hasn't smiled in days) and pour Rice Krispies into Luke's Spiderman bowl. Luke loves (loved) Spiderman.

Luke will ask for Coke and Barbara will laugh, shake her head, and give him orange juice instead.

But Luke doesn't enter. Father Harris does and gives a grim smile. John looks away, out the window, thinking, _maybe Luke's outside_.

Except he knows that Luke is really in the ground.

He wishes it didn't hurt so much.


	3. blood

Disclaimer: Not my characters.  
For xfdrabble challenge 33: blood.  
Character: Scully

* * *

She was never a particularly squeamish child. As a medical student, she was more curious than repulsed when she saw her first cadaver. She's seen things she can't explain and found herself in situations most women couldn't handle.

Yet at the sight of her own blood, she feels dizzy. Her legs are strangely weak.

She stares at the liquid on her fingers, feels it hot on her upper lip. It isn't supposed to happen this way. There's so much she still wants to do.

She's going to die; there's nothing she can do about it. She's never been this terrified.


	4. unseen moments

Disclaimer: Not my characters.  
Rating: PG  
For challenge #35 _unseen moments_.  
Episode: Audrey Pauley  
Characters: John, Monica

* * *

They're at the bar, not drunk, but the alcohol has left them both with a nice buzz.

She thinks it's good to see him relaxed and happy. They should do this more often.

He thinks he's a lucky SOB to have a friend like her, and wonders what she'd do if he kissed her.

Accidentally-on-purpose, his knee brushes her. She pretends not to notice, but can't hide the slight flush in her cheeks.

He does it again, and thinks, this is fun.

She smiles, stands, reaches for her keys. "We'd better get going."

He should have kissed her, he thinks.


	5. fight the future

_Fight the Future. Mulder/Scully._

. . .

Scully is colder than she's ever been. The sun's reflection off the snow is too bright for her eyes; her chest hurts every time she draws breath; and her last clear memory is of standing in Mulder's hallway - about to kiss him. She has no idea how they ended up here.

Or where 'here' actually is.

Mulder has passed out; he's no help.

Scully pulls him closer; partly for warmth but mostly just to be near him. Squinting as she glances around, she sees a vehicle moving closer.

All she can do is pray that they're coming to help.


End file.
